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“How did Gabe come up with this list?” Jack asked Olivia.
They’d just left the Elect compound with a list of marinas to check out. Faine and Delia also had a list, as did two other couples. They were all posing as prospective yacht buyers or leasers.
Olivia turned in her seat to face him. “Remember when I said I was forgetting something about a boat?”
“Yeah.”
He’d managed to keep the weekend just about them, but come Monday morning they were back to work. At least she wasn’t trying to be strictly professional anymore.
“I’ve been going through those Stirling files with Gabe. The ones we got when they went in to get Jamie and the others. Anyway, there was a list of assets. I just glanced at it since we were focused on finding mentions of the Elect, but it turns out there were several small businesses and a couple of yachts on it. Among other things. Brax has had other teams checking out the businesses. He thought this was better suited to couples.”
“No flies on Brax.”
It was hot and sunny, and Labor Day was coming up. Couples looking for entertainment for the long weekend wouldn’t stand out at all, would actually be expected even without the upcoming holiday, given the weather in central Florida this time of year. And if Evans was right, then the Elect captive was on a boat. The question was where?
“That didn’t answer my question. How did he come up with the list?”
“According to the files, one boat is thirty-eight feet and the other forty. There wasn’t any identifying info, though. So Gabe made a list of places where boats this size are registered. Then he narrowed down that list to the one we all split.”
She didn’t say how Gabe had managed that feat, but Jack didn’t have to ask. Gabe was their resident hacker, after all, and smart as hell. He turned onto the highway and reached for her hand. She didn’t protest when he laced his fingers between hers or when he lifted them to kiss her knuckles. If they weren’t looking for a madman and his prisoner, it would feel like just a regular summer day out with his girl. Normal, which was definitely a new thing for them, but fuck, he could get used to it fast. But as the minutes and miles passed, she grew tense and tenser. He was about to ask why when she finally broke the silence.
“Jack.” He glanced over to find her staring hard out the front window, lips pressed in a tight line.
“What is it, darlin’?”
She didn’t turn to meet his gaze. “Don’t get mad, but I have to ask one last time if you’re sure. About being with me.”
His first instinct was to snap out at her, but then her words registered. One last time. “I’m positive. No doubts at all.”
She exhaled a long sigh. Relief? “I talked to Brax this morning. To get on the construction list. In the meantime, he’s letting us keep the cabin. The list... it’ll be a long time, so you should get some of your stuff out of storage.”
He squeezed her hand, too hard he knew, and he swore his heart was in his throat. It wasn’t everything he wanted—that mysterious bond he kept hearing about was missing—but it was a huge step for her. For them. He swallowed hard.
“We’ll swing by when we’re finished today.”
Which just reminded him he was potentially taking her into danger. A fucking lot of danger. Stine would love to get his hands on an Elect woman. The thought of losing Olivia now made Jack break out in a cold sweat. It couldn’t happen, but he couldn’t order her back to the compound either. That wasn’t who she was, and he’d promised not to try to change her. Still, for a moment, the fear was almost paralyzing.
“I need you to follow my lead when we’re in the open today, Olivia. Stine’s guards could be at any of these locations and they might recognize me.”
He hadn’t shaved in a week, so he was pretty scruffy, and he’d lightened his hair. He also wore lightly tinted glasses and was in civilian clothes. On his own, someone who knew him, who had good training would probably spot him. But under these circumstances, with a pretty woman in a pretty dress and sandals on a sunny day, his money was not on Stine’s usual goons picking them out. This time she squeezed his hand and pulled it to her lips.
“Don’t worry, babe,” she said lightly. “I’ll leave the ass kicking to you. I’m a better shooter anyway.”
He laughed because she was, but he felt like his easy going day with his mate had been blown all to hell. She sighed.
“I should have waited to tell you about the list, huh?”
“No. You shouldn’t have. Absolutely not. You should put me out of my misery and tell me when you’re gonna whack me with the secret mate bond thing, though.”
She burst out laughing. “Whack you? What the hell does that even mean?”
He shrugged a shoulder, biting back a smile. “The mated guys talk.”
“You mean gossip.”
“Like a bunch of old women,” he said cheerfully.
She snorted. “That is so wrong. The whacking thing... we can discuss later. We’re working now.”
Since he was turning into the first marina, he couldn’t argue with her. He needed to be focused. He had a job to do and she could help, no doubt, but he also had to protect her and that was his first priority. Always would be. When they got out of the car and she met his gaze, he knew she was thinking the same damned thing. He felt better when she pulled the purse she called a cross body over her shoulder.
It was a pale yellow canvas with a well-known designer label on it. She’d always loved her purses. He’d watched her tuck her wallet, two clips, and a baby Glock into it before they left the cabin that morning, and it was placed on the front of her hip so she could get to it easily. She was well trained, smart, and knew what to do in a firefight, but this still scared the shit out of him, bringing her out into the open like this.
“It’ll be fine,” she whispered, moving to his left and leaving his dominant side free.
Damn, he loved this woman. He froze as that revelation hit him. What did he know about being in love? Except this had to be it. A person being more important than anything else. Any job. Any moral imperative. Olivia was everything. Nothing else mattered to him.
“Jack?” she asked with a concerned smile. “You okay?”
“I’m fucking awesome.” He dropped her hand so he could wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her closer, then leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. “I’m with the woman I love on a beautiful day and we’re boat shopping.”
She jerked to a stop and stared at him. Okay, that probably hadn’t been said at the optimum time and place. He didn’t really know how to do romance. Could he deflect?
“Something wrong with boat shopping?”
She gaped for a split second before she glared. Yep. Deflection was out.
“My delivery sucks. I’m sorry.” Very, sincerely sorry.
She gave him a sideways look. “Your talents are growing.”
“You heard that?” he asked, unable to keep the pleasure out of his voice. Maybe Esme and Zach were right, and he had some latent telepathic ability. Or maybe it was just his growing connection to Olivia.
She stepped away and gave him a pretty smile that put him on edge. “You should definitely work on your timing.”
“This is new to me, darlin’. You too, remember? My timing sucks, but I want you to know how important you are to me. You’re my world. I’d do anything for you.” He paused. “Almost anything.”
“Almost?” There was a little thaw in her tone, thank God.
“I’ll never leave you. Ask anything else.”
“But you’ll love me?”
He pulled her close, watching her eyes as he spoke softly. “Isn’t this love? Devotion? Loyalty? The ever present need to worship your body?”
“That last part is lust, I think,” she joked.
“Oh no, darlin’, it’s much more. When I’m buried deep inside you, you know that.”
She blushed and looked around, making sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop probably. “This isn’t the time or place.”
It wasn’t, but he’d just told her he loved her and now she was the one deflecting. Not good. On the other hand, she’d made the move on their living arrangements. He was making progress.
She tilted her head and smiled slowly. “Say it, Jack. Say it again.”
“I love you, Olivia Allen. So much it hurts.”
“I don’t think it’s supposed to hurt,” she whispered, her eyes bright.
He hugged her hard. “It did when we were apart.”
She rubbed her face against his chest. “Say it again.”
He tilted her face up to his.
“I love you, baby,” he whispered against her lips.
